The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-07-22


Justice-Terribie fortunes.
was Just in time to sec the torturing
in It's most aggravated form. Tho victim
was ~; old thief and every c;'ort was be-
ing made to compel lin to confess his
last crime. A long hench had been
placed upon the floor. Thrown upon his
Lack upon this borch, the wretch lad
been tied TO it by thin, ftout cords, lnot-
ted at ono end around his thumbs and
toes, and the other end TO hooks behind.
The bench had then Leon placed upright
upon one end, so that tho only means Of
sustaining human weight Of 100 pounds
were the slight, sharp cords that cut
right down TO the bones of the thumbs
and toes. The legs and feet werc bent
back so that tho knees were terribly
cranlpcd and the ankles almost dislo-
Gated. The shoulders were lent back by
pressure that threatened to pull tho
bones Of the crms from their sockets.
The joints CT tho thumbs seemed no
longer of cny use. A stout, villainor5
looking subordinate was laying with ell
his might long cplit bamboo stick cc-ocs
the naked thighs Of tho unfortunate &C.
cused, who writhed and groaresl under
the added punishment Red wells rose
from every blow, while great drops Of
peIspiration stood out upon the brow OF
the poor sufferer.
The magistrate ct length nlotioy:cd tho
whipper to stop. The examination re-
commenced, and renewed efforts were
made to compel the accused to confess q
crime, which, perhaps, he had never
committed. The examination and the
torturing had been going on for an hour
and a half. Ia the case Of this partictl-
lar person it had been only repetition
of what lad taken place several times
before. But he had borne it bravely and
had not yet given.in. If lic. held cut
long enough he might lie released; Per-
haps he might be ordered off to cXecu-
ton, but if he confessed he was certain
to lose his head. 1t was impossible for
me to await the end Of the so called ex-
animation.
hurried out, but as / vert my attcn-
ton was called to several rectliar instili-
raents; one q piece CT crirfocsly shaped
but heavy wood, with which, while O
criminal ,wcs tied up by his. thumbs and
toes, he.was beaten upon the ankles until
the ankle bones werc broken; another, q
leather strap fitted to q piece Of wood,
with which he might be beaten acrcsa
the face until his jaw should be Lroken
and his teeth Knocked out. o,, loosened SO
that they would drop out; the terrible
bastinado, with which, stretched upon
the floor, he might be Lcatcn upon the
so!es Of his feet. Only couple of days
before my own visit TO this Canton court
Of justice, five prisoners, tied up by
thumbG end toes, had been tortured and
beaten until they had tainted, and all five
thus insensible were still hanging in the
open court room, while the examination
OF q sixth conscious wretch wcs being
conducted. In the hallway, when
went cut, were icthcr poor criminals
awaiting their turn. All werc heavily
shacllled. Three with joints dislocated
and ankles broken We're seated in las
kets, in which they lad been carried
from their cells, and in which they
would soon be carried into the court
room to be strung up as they had been
time and time again before. They were
scarcely conscious. All in heaps, they
seemed. thrown into. the baskets, with
their legs and arms. dangling out, their
heads bowed down upon their breasts
Canton Cor. Chicago Tribune.